Hidden Gems - (side story to AC4)
by writingmars
Summary: An office worker, unsure of where her values lie, opens the animus and finds a little about herself she never knew existed… And neither did Abstergo.
1. Intro

(This is just a scene to introduce a possible fanfic! Let me know what you think, and if I should keep up with writing. Sorry it's so short :/)

"Nrea, you need to listen to me…"

"That _thing_ is what led Desmond, and now countless others, into a demise! It _has_ to be broken!"

"It _can't_! Don't do something you know you'll regret later. There are so many countless memories that need to be unlocked. Mysteries that need to be solved. Problems that could be fixe—"

"Luke, we're just messing with fate." Nrea paused as she pointed at the open animus chair, her eyes not leaving his. She tilted her head quizzically as thoughts began to piece themselves together. "And you know that… Don't you?"

"Listen. Whatever it is we do, it's really none of our business to think much about why we do it."

"How can you say that? These are people's _lives_ we are dealing with here. You can't completely unlock everything. Some things are meant to be kept unlocked. Hidden."

"It is merely a cell's memory we are pulling data from, not the actual subject's. They have no idea. Neither do they care."

"Have we even bothered to ask?"

"Listen, Nrea! The only reason the animus exists is for us to be one step ahead of everyone else. If we unlock mysteries from back then, we unlock mysteries of the now. And this puts us further ahead into total domination of the system… any system… worldwide. Don't you think that's a little more important than asking if this is okay with someone who doesn't even know what their last name comes from?"

"It's a_ choice_. We're all making _choices_. They deserve that choice. They have a right to not let their history repeat. They have a right to choose to _live_!"

"You choose to let history determine our fate?"

Nrea stopped and looked at Luke. She narrowed her eyes as she looked at her friend in disdain.

"I choose to leave resurrection to God."


	2. Chapter 1

"There's something wrong out there, Edward."

Adé's voice was uneasy as he looked out the window. The dim lighting in the cabin made it almost impossible to see, as Edward's eyes traced the map on the table. He could hear nothing but the sound of the breeze outside. The men had grown very silent. The lights were out on deck to keep suspecting ships at bay. But it wasn't that that kept the men perturbed – it was the wind. It had changed the past couple nights. You didn't have to be a brigand on the high seas to know that something was happening.

"At ease, Adé. It's just the wind."

"And for once, Captain, I don't believe you."

Edward exhaled as he walked over to stand next to him. "What are you thinking."

"I can't believe I'm thinkin' it, but I am." He answered after a few moments. "I've been told tales of certain men that have walked among us. But they're not of us. They are called back when we, in the present, need them most. Now here's the mystery, Edward: _They themselves don't even know that they were called back_. I've been told it's like they are mere recollections of someone else's… mind. They don't act any different, they don't look any different, but they're imposters in the flesh. They are not here by their own choice. It's like they were_sent_."

"Sent? By whom?"

Adé turned to look at Edward. "Most don't know. But I have my reasonings."

"Care to share?"

Suddenly, a cannon was heard in the distance.

"Not tonight."

Both Adé and Edward hastily ran up to the deck to take charge of the men. Splintered wood shot in their faces, as smoke surrounded them on all sides. Yells and shouts to load the cannons and return fire were heard on all ends of the ship, as men picked themselves up off the ground and ran. It was chaos. They returned damage on the inflicting schooner, and pretty soon it looked like they were winning the battle.

"Stay alert, men! Keep drowning it!" Edward commanded with a slight smile on his face. He turned to celebrate the potential victory with Adé, but instead his face contorted into confusion.

"Adé!" he hollered, and his right hand man came up beside him once more.

"What is it?"

Edward could only point at the clouds. "What… what is that?" A weird light was coming from the sky, and all around it storm clouds were forming.

"I think we're dealing with something else here, sir…"

Just then, a huge bolt of lightning shot from the sky. Veins of light shot for miles around in the water, causing the ship to shudder.

"What is that?!" several men shouted from the boat in fear. The enemy ship quickly took off and soon disappeared southward. Edward could only look agape at the water. _What is happening…_

Another bolt of lightning shot again, the veins in the water causing waves to form and toss the ship about in a frenzy. The men were going into a panic. It was raining hard now.

"Everyone into my cabin! Adé, take the men into my cabin, and don't wait for me!"

"Sir, are you mad?"

"I'll be right there, I just want to get the ship away from this mess!"

Adé gave orders to go into the captain's cabin and everyone made haste. He looked back at Edward.

"Don't wait for me!" He could barely hear his captain's command through the rain before he closed the door to the cabin. Edward turned back to the light._What is that…_

He stood at tip of the ship as it sailed closer and closer to the phenomenon. His eyes searched the sky as the thunder rolled on and on. He was just beneath it now. Suddenly, right next to the boat another bolt of lightning came falling down. The tremors in the water shook the boat so harshly, Edward heard the entire ship **crack**. He ran to the wheel and spun it as hard as he could to keep the ship from snapping in half. As he held it, he looked up at the treacherous sky right as another bolt came down. Instantly, as if sent from the sky itself, another ship came scraping alongside his own as boards went flying everywhere, peeling them off like an orange. Edward looked on in horror and shock.

He caught the glimpse of a hooded figure, crouched on the plank, before it sailed off as if the Jack Daw weren't even there. Edward peered through the rain after it. He looked up at the sky, and then down at his hands still holding the wheel taught. He closed his eyes as he gathered himself and exhaled.

His eyes shot open in the direction of the frigate. Then he let go.

The wheel spun rapidly in the opposite direction once more and straight towards the boat. Edward threw on his hood and his eyes glinted in the wake of adventure as they narrowed. He smiled.

"All hands on deck."


End file.
